Saturday before last would have been Jamie's 40th Birthday. Here we are up at Aunt Della's pond doing some sort of cheer. Lindsay is in the stroller, Jon is in front of us, Becky to my right and Jamie to her right. Although Jon and Lindsay were in front, it was Jamie who was leading us. I know that hillside well and I know that family too. The Wilsons live a mile away, Judy is my mom's best friend and they worked together as social workers for years. Warren Wilson was born and grew up in the home that my parents still live in.
I may have only had twelve years with Jamie, but those are the important years for conditioning and imprinting. I watched she and my sister form a bond worthy of jealousy, but instead of jealously, it felt like an extension of our family. Becky and Jamie taught me about adventure and exploration. Between our families and the mile of backroad, Moores Creek, cattle fields, and the dairy farm between us, there were summer days, snow days, and evenings of fun to be had. We developed elaborate stories that kept us and any visiting cousins and friends well-entertained. There were tree houses, sand pits, tobacco barn clubhouses, seemingly wild horses, scary bulls, four wheeler adventures, ten-speed biking excursions, and mud masks from the pond. Jamie was a leader and I wish I could have seen all of the amazing things she would have done with her life. We miss her daily and are inspired by pondering what she would think of us and how we are choosing to live our lives.
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Yesterday was Dad's Birthday and he marked it with a dip in the pond. A Baptism in Spring peeper territory, in the vessel that taught us three kids how to swim, to dive, to torpedo bravely to the scary bottom to retrieve potent anaerobic slate gray mud to smear on ourselves in mud fight or spa treatment, to take barbies and ninja turtles on Marine Biology expeditions, to bravely release our little hands from the zip line or trapeze that dad strung across the pond for us, to swim confidently at night while star gazing, to quickly dunk into post Thanksgiving sweat lodge, to teach Gracie confidence in the water, to teach us kayaking and canoeing, to teach us a skill we all hold dear and to celebrate and relax in after weddings, dock buildings, surgeries, long days at work or school or summer break. This pond is a sacred place. I'm so grateful to be the product of both the parents and the place. #birthdayswim #baptismbynature
First are some photos from Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve two weekends ago in the sun. I did the longer loop and then Eliot met me half way after basketball. That little fairy house in the fourth photo down was gone when I went back for a run on Monday. I like the idea of ephemeral fairy houses. Many of the trees have ice between the furrows of their bark. It is dark and gem-like. The ice on the creek has these very human-like veins of crystal ice. On Sunday, I went to check out some baby goats and pigs with an Earlham friend at the farm of some other Earlham friends. There's not much in the world like Earham friends. We were slightly surprised by the giantess of the mama pigs. They were very friendly and I later realized I had a rotten apple in my bag, which was really encouraging their friendliness. Sunday night, we tried to make ravioli and they were a total flop. One photo from a hike at Roy H. Park Nature Preserve. There are really awesome boardwalks and lots of beaver activity. Friday after work, I stopped at home to grab my real camera before a quick hike around Ringwood Nature Preserve. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have some light to explore with after work. Anybody know what the tree is with the chunky bark down there? Last Saturday at Ellis Hollow for ice chasing. Sunday the temps reached 57, so I turned the heat off, ignored the fire and opened the doors to let some fresh air in. Some dust bunnies ran for the back door in seconds flat. I worked in the yard, went for a nice and slow run and had a picnic outside. Don't be fooled by those veggies. Eliot was away for the weekend, so I found myself eating things like Doritos for lunch and vegan chicken nuggets and wine for dinner while catching up on Downton Abbey. Apparently, it doesn't take very long for me to forget how to live alone.
A gifted CSA led to the discovery of the watermelon radish (with ID help from Donald), Old Raj martini (thank you Jed) with extra olives and an "Embrace the Gray" colored manicure (my first in at least two years), self-gifted Wegman's tulips with Dolly Parton and sunshine, puzzle from my lifter upper dear friend Katie, Ringwood hike with Eliot, Eliot and Sarah cider taste test Saturday night, driving home from work early, snow from the den above a giant pile of shaded laundry, our Sycamore, Aurora, NY on Cayuga Lake for Valentine's Day, curriculum development for Wall of Birds at CLO, matzo balls and guest-left pink champagne by the fire while dreaming of trips to Africa, sunshiny puzzle working today, tulip demise, and a hike at Ellis Hollow with some found vandalism.
Sometimes you need to leave work before the sun sets. Luckily, our new Canadian friends taught us how to play Crokinole, and it is super fun! Tasty Mallard It isn't a real party until there is a blow dart competition. Bathroom art is important. The Cayuga trail blazes are works of art. Below, old and new beaver sign. There is nothing for scale, but that Cottonwood is one of the largest I've seen. A stop at our local brewery, Hopshire, for some sunset behind oak. Sunday brunch at Classic Chef's in Watkins Glen before some chilly, but sunny hiking. This place was amazing!!! There were people eating old school tall dish sundays, rice pudding, BLTs and dressed up! The lady behind us had definitely had her hair done and her most exquisite clip on earrings adorning her ears. It was like a little time capsule with perfect home fries, golden glittered formica tables and chunky white coffee mugs. I love diners! You can even see a waterfall from the diner! Check out these sweet bathroom tiles! Below is a hike in Watkins Glen State Park. The lower trail is closed due to its state of ice, but the upper trail had great views, hemlock, sunshine, flocks of birds, and we finished up at an area with a lot of cattail and a hemlock hammock tree. It was a grand adventure. And then, the Superbowl, biologist style, with a a little hedgehog friend at half time.
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